DIY Teacher Lanyards Tips and Tricks

Making a Teacher Lanyard

Components:

Fishing Line ( 60 inches)

Lobster Clasp and D Ring

6/0 seed beads ( 30 inches)

Decorative beads 8-12 mm ( handful)

Silver spacer ( optional)

20-30 mm decorative or wood end bead

clear fingernail polish

scissors

( no other tools required)

Cost guidelines:

Fishing line is available in any sporting goods store. It is also available at Walmart. I was able to buy what i needed for between $4.00 and $7.00 a spool.

Seed Beads:

Walmart $1.67 ( enough for two lanyards)

Jo Anne Fabrics, Michaels, AC Moore: Full price $4.00. 

The seed beads are size 6/0. The seed beads at the craft stores are sized more consistently. The Walmart beads are rough and inconsistent and create a more Bohemian final product. 

These two choices of fishing line are both suitable. 60 pound and 80 pound both work.  The seed beads are available at most Walmart Stores. 

Decorative Beads:

You can buy a set of decorative beads- pre-packaged in all the craft stores Full price around $8.00. They are very pretty in the package- HOWEVER- they are plastic and acrylic. Many of the necklaces at Chicos are made with acrylic beads so they can be pretty and the final product with be lighter around your neck.

 The strung beads at most Craft Stores have more options for real gemstones. 

Gemstones: You can select beads from old broken jewelry and select any of the strands from all the craft stores 

End bead:

The end bead can be between 18 and 25mm. The most important factor is the size of the hole. Ideally you want the size of the hole to be large enough to disguise the final knot. 

You can see the larger hole in this example. The purple bead with the silver hole is pefect for hiding the knot. 

Lobster Clasp:

From JoAnne Fabrics : Hard to find. You have to look at the bottom shelf sometimes

Jump Rings are also available at Walmart. These are perfect

You can buy a package of 4 lobster clasps at most of the craft stores. In addition, you can buy the large Jump rings or reuse one from an old key chain. The lobster clasps you buy at the craft stores are lightweight and they can't handle the weight of your keys.  You have to use the heavier jump ring to balance the weight of your keys. See photo above for sample jump rings from Walmart. 

Update: I have tested lost of lobster clasps. I found the best value and the ones that don't break on a website: Pandahall. They take several weeks to ship but I found they were worth it

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  Panda Hall Iron Swivel Clasps are also available on my Etsy Shop
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Instructions

  
  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  1. Measure 60 inches of fishing line2. Place small piece of masking tape on one end

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  3. Mix seed beads or pour entire container on soft mat

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  4. Thread 30 inches of seed beads on the 60 inches of fishing line

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  5. Arrange several inches of interesting beads 4-16mm

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  6. Thread assorted beads on each side of the 30 inches of fishing line

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  7. Add 5 individual seed beads to either side to begin to taper off

  
  

  

  
  

  8. Place both ends of the fishing line through the large end bead

  
  

  

  

  
  

  
  

  9. Tie the two ends of the fishing line around the bottom of the lobster clasp. Do not tie the fishing line on the circular jump ring. 

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  10. Tie two knots

  
  

  

  
  

  11. Push the two pieces of fishing line back into the hole in the middle of the large bead and pull out the other end. Tie and place a small dab of nailpolish on the knot. 

  
  

  More information on You Tube
  
  https://youtu.be/w7VjTUK0BRU

   Iron Swivel Clasps with Key Rings, Platinum Color, Size: about 25mm wide, 60mm long (X-HJEW-H018-P)

  • US $1.48 / 5 pcs
  • US $1.53 / 5 pcs

  Weight: 46 g

  Package Size:
  

  5 pcs

  Ready Time: 3 Days